Dorm Rents Reduced

A new schedule of dormitory rentals to go into effect next year, providing lower rates in College dormitories for 830 men, was announced following the meeting of the trustees. The new schedule reduces the average room rent per occupant for the dormitory system from .1202.95 to $189.19.

The new schedule, which results principally in bringing rentals from the higher range to the medium range, was adopted with the aim of bringing the more desirable rooms within the limits of the presentday student budget as well as to increase to the greatest possible extent the number of rooms available in the lower range of rentals.

The announcement expressed the hope of the College administration that students able to engage the more desirable rooms at the reduced rates would do so, with the result that dormitory rooms be used to capacity during the coming year. It was pointed out that the Darmouth dormitories represent investments of endowment funds and that income from endowment funds is the source from which the College meets the difference in its costs of operation and the amount paid by the students in tuition. Income from tuition amounts only to approximately half of the total cost of operation.

The reductions are of two kinds. In general the higher priced rooms, those equipped with private toilets or fireplaces, are reduced $10 to $30 per occupant. Other reductions are brought about by increasing the number of men permitted to room in some of the larger suites. In many cases, this increase is an alternative available to those engaging the rooms, while in others it is a permanent increase in allotted capacity. In some instances the increased capacity involves the installation of a double-decker bed in the bedrooms.

Under the new schedule, 55% of dormitory quarters, housing 881 men, will not exceed $180 per occupant; 29% more, housing 477 men, will not exceed 240 per occupant; and only 16%, housing 254 men, carry rates in excess of $240.